Howick and Pakuranga Times : Howick and Pakuranga Times Thursday January 23

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Howick and Pakuranga Times, Thursday, January 23, 2014 --- 5
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By MARIANNE KELLY
SUGGESTIONS to make wearing
life jackets compulsory on small
boats is another case of “Nanny
State” that cuts no ice with a local
Coastguard volunteer.
New Coastguard Howick vice-
president Craig Houkamau says:
“In my experience, boats sink very
quickly.
“I’ve seen a number of occasions
where we pull people out of the
water and they’ve had life jackets on
board.
“But they’ve not had the time to
put them on because it happens that
quickly.
“If people had the jackets on it
would have given them a better
chance.
“It may not be the be-all and end-
all, but it makes the chance of sur-
vival a lot better.”
The Auckland Council regulatory
and bylaws committee is recom-
mending that the governing body
includes a proposal in its draft navi-
gation safety bylaw to make it man-
datory to wear a life jacket on vessels
less than six metres at all times.
The present bylaw makes it com-
pulsory to carry a suffcient number
of life jackets for those on board and
that they must be worn if instructed
by the skipper.
The move comes as the result of
a strong direction from most of the
super-city’s local boards to canvas
the issue with the community.
Some boating clubs have lambasted
the proposal, saying it’s another case
of “Nanny State” and will not reduce
the number of people drowning.
Others say it’s unreasonable to
cover all types of small boats, at all
times and in all sea conditions.
Mr Houkamau says vessels less
than 6m long are not necessarily the
most vulnerable.
“The bigger the vessel is doesn’t
make it safer, but smaller vessels are
susceptible to bigger sea conditions.”
Trip planning, he says, is very
important.
“Check the weather forecasts and
prepare accordingly. And don’t be
afraid to come back in rather than
wait for that next fsh if the condi-
tions change.
“Remember to do a trip report to
Coastguard radio, or tell someone
where you are going and when you
intend to get back.”
Watersafe Auckland says Auck-
land is becoming a city of people
born overseas and many are joining
the boatie population.
However, Mr Houkamau says the
balance of boaties in the south-east
has not changed very much.
“Accidents happen to all ethnici-
ties and nationalities. We get called
to a variety of people, some who have
been boating for a while and new
boaties.
“From my point of view, water
safety is not specifc to one or the
other.”
A council report says there are
an estimated 100,000 boat users in
Auckland and the numbers are likely
to increase.
Between January 2008 and
December 2012, 545 people drowned
in New Zealand, 106 of them in boat-
ing-related incidents.
Of them, 19 were in Auckland, six
in boats under 4m, three in boats
4-6m, one in a boat more than 6m,
and seven were unknown.
Of the six incidents of drowning in
boats less than 4m, life jackets were
available but not worn in four cases,
while in one case life jackets were
not available.
Manurewa-Papakura ward coun-
cillor Calum Penrose, who chairs
the regulatory and bylaws commit-
tee, acknowledges that changing the
rules is only one part of the puzzle
and that, if adopted, the bylaw will
need to be coupled with widespread
education.
Last year, the Howick Local Board
resolved to consider its feedback to
the proposal when the bylaw review
gets under way.
It also requested that the views of
other competent marine authorities
be consulted before further action
was contemplated, for example,
Coastguard and Yachting NZ.
In its national position statement,
Coastguard says it recommends that
life jackets should be worn at all
times on craft less than 6m, unless
directed otherwise by the captain.
“Skippers are ultimately responsi-
ble for their vessel and all those on
board.
“While the increasing use of life
jackets has resulted in lives being
saved, the failure to wear them in
small craft that are prone to capsize
remains the primary reason why
lives are lost in boating accidents,”
says Coastguard.
“On all vessels, life jackets must be
worn when conditions place those
on board in a situation of heightened
risk, such as limited visibility, height-
ened sea states, and crossing bars.”
The navigation safety discussion is
part of a wider programme requiring
the council to review all its bylaws by
October.
The governing body considered
the navigation safety recommenda-
tions at its meeting on December 19,
while the proposed bylaw including
any further changes, will be con-
sulted on soon.
Proposed also for inclusion in the
draft bylaw is making carrying a com-
munications device compulsory, pro-
hibiting anyone in charge of a vessel
who is incapacitated because of alco-
hol or drugs, and improved manage-
ment of mooring sites to ensure their
quality and identifying those that
have been abandoned.
A copy of the regulatory and bylaws
committee report, including some
of the research and draft proposals,
is online at www.aucklandcouncil.
govt.nz.
SAVING LIVES: Coastguard Howick vice-president Craig Houkamau says wearing
a life jacket makes the chance of survival a lot better.
Times photo Marianne Kelly
Tougher boating rules proposed
"On all vessels, life
jackets must be worn
when conditions
place those on board
in a situation of
heightened risk, such
as limited visibility,
heightened sea
states, and crossing
bars."
-- Coastguard New Zealand